• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Petite Cook™ logo

  • Recipes
  • Italian Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Cookbooks
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Cookbooks
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Pasta Recipes

    Italian Caprese Pasta Salad (Only 5 Ingredients!)

    Published: Aug 18, 2020 by Andrea

    Jump to Recipe
    caprese pasta salad in a white bowl with serving spoons

    This family-friendly vegetarian Italian Caprese pasta salad takes only 5 ingredients and 15 min to make - Perfect for a quick summer meal!

    This classic Italian Caprese pasta salad is an easy, light and quick meal that never disappoints.

    Red tomato, green basil, white mozzarella - Basically the Italian flag served on the plate!

    Fresh and simple, this easy pasta recipe is loaded with Mediterranean flavour, and makes the perfect meal both kids and grown-ups will love.

    Italian caprese pasta in a large white bowl with serving spoons, basil leaves in the background

    When Italian Caprese Was Created

    Caprese salad, one of the simplest and most appreciated dishes of the summer, is the queen of the Italian tables in summertime.

    A compendium of Italian flavours that sums up, with extreme simplicity, all the goodness of Italian taste.

    Italian caprese pasta in a large white bowl with a serving spoon, basil leaves in the background

    As the name suggests, the Caprese salad was born on the beautiful island of Capri, the pearl of the Gulf of Naples.

    This classic dish was created around the '20s, when it first appeared on the menu of the Hotel Quisisana in Capri.

    The story says that the Caprese was part of a futurist dinner, organized for the founder of this historical-cultural movement, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.

    Ingredients for Caprese Pasta

    This recipe is ready in just 20 minutes, it’s conveniently vegetarian and made with simple every-day ingredients.

    In fact, all you need is just 5 staple ingredients from the Italian cuisine:

    • pasta
    • ripe cherry tomatoes
    • fresh mozzarella
    • good extra-virgin olive oil
    • basil leaves

    I totally recommend choosing your ingredients wisely, since it's just 5 of them, pick the best you can afford.

    fusilli pasta in a large light blue pasta bowl, mozzarella balls in a small bowl, olive oil in glass bottle, basil leaves and cherry tomatoes scattered around the marble background

    Pasta

    I'm Italian, and I'm picky when it comes to pasta. I like to use pasta from Gragnano (a small town near Naples) whenever possible.

    The pasta in Gragnano is made using a unique pasta machine and ingredients. Both give the pasta a signature roughness and a porous surface that holds the sauce so much better and keeps al dente.

    This speciality pasta has become internationally popular over the last years and can be easily found online, in large stores and at most Italian delis. 

    Tomatoes

    Choose organic cherry tomatoes whenever possible. They taste sweeter and less acidic. If you buy them at the farmers' market, just ask to taste a tomato, if it's sweet, that's the one.

    Another great variety to use is datterino, which is small as the cherry tomato, but has an oval shape and tastes slightly sweeter.

    Extra-virgin olive oil

     Try to get a high quality extra-virgin olive oil, which tastes a million times better.

    Look for an EVOO that carries a PDO label (Protected Designation of Origin). You can read this helpful guide for more detailed info.  

    Mozzarella

    Choose mozzarella di bufala (buffalo mozzarella) whenever possible (again, look for the PDO label if you can), and you will be rewarded. 

    Buffalo mozzarella has a stronger but not overpowering taste, and a creamy and smooth texture. it really is delicious and just melts in your mouth. 

    You can buy a whole ball and cut into chunks, or use bocconcini, bite-sized mozzarella balls, as I did here.

    Fresh Basil

    fresh large basil leaves are deeply aromatic and will add a lovely refreshing note to your pasta. So don't skip them! Tear the leaves with your hand delicately to bring out all their aroma.

    Best Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe Tips

    Italian caprese pasta in a large plate with serving spoons, basil leaves scattered over the blue background

    This recipe is really easy to make, but to make sure you get the best Italian  pasta ever, here are some of my tips:

    • Cook your pasta al dente, so that it keeps a nice and lovely texture and doesn't becoming mushy once you stir it with the tomatoes.
    • You can add raw tomatoes, however, gently sauteeing the tomatoes for a couple of minutes will make all the difference in terms of flavour, trust me.
    • Make sure you add the mozzarella after you turn the heat off. The mozzarella will slightly melt, but will keep its shape and lovely texture.
    • Add a few extra basil leaves and a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil right before serving, to bring out all the refreshing flavour of this amazing pasta dish.

    How to store leftovers

    This Italian pasta salad keeps well in the fridge for up to two days. You can eat it at room temperature, or cold, and it tastes absolutely delish.

    I do not recommend to reheat it, as the mozzarella turns out a bit rubbery. 

    More Italian Recipes You'll Love

    If you're looking for more traditional Italian recipes to wow your family and friends, give the below recipes a try!

    • Traditional Bolognese Sauce
    • Authentic Italian Potato Frittata
    • Classic Italian Tomato Sauce
    • Italian Fried Mozzarella Sandwich

    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

    Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook! Looking at your pictures always makes me smile *and super hungry*!

    Recipe

    Italian caprese pasta salad in a large plate with serving spoons, basil leaves scattered over the blue background
    Print SaveSaved!
    5 from 1 vote

    Italian Caprese Pasta Salad

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    This family-friendly vegetarian Italian Caprese pasta salad takes only 5 ingredients and 15 min to make - Perfect for a quick summer meal!
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time15 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Serving: 4
    Calories: 535kcal
    Author: Andrea Soranidis

    Ingredients

    • 350 g pasta, (penne, fusilli, tortiglioni, farfalle)
    • 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • 250 g ripe cherry tomatoes
    • 200 g buffalo mozzarella, (or bite-sized mozzarella balls)
    • 5 basil leaves
    • sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

    Instructions

    • Fold the pasta into a pot of lightly salted boiling water.
    • Heat a large pan over medium heat and drizzle evenly with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
    • Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes, then add 2 basil leaves, a tablespoon of water and cover with a lid.
    • Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • In the meantime, drain the pasta al dente and transfer it into a large salad bowl. Then, cut the mozzarella into small cubes.
    • Add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, the remaining basil leaves and mix all the ingredients.
    • Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and serve immediately, at room temperature or cold.

    Notes

    Leftovers tip
    You can store leftover pasta in an air-tight container, and keep it in the fridge up to 2 days.
    Did you try this recipe? Tag @thepetitecook or use the hashtag #thepetitecook - Looking at your pictures makes my day!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1807IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 1140mg | Iron: 2mg

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    More Pasta Recipes

    • pasta al forno.
      Pasta al Forno - Italian Pasta Bake
    • octopus pasta.
      Octopus Pasta
    • Pistachio pesto with pasta.
      Pistachio Pesto
    • italian sausage and mushroom pasta.
      Italian Sausage and Mushroom Pasta
    208 shares
    • Facebook
    • X
    • WhatsApp

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Andrea

    Andrea Soranidis, founder of The Petite Cook.

    Welcome to my kitchen!
    I’m Andrea, I'm Italian, and I absolutely LOVE cooking.
    Grab a fork and join me!
    READ MORE ABOUT ME…

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Follow us

    • facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    The Petite Cook™

    Italian Recipes Anyone Can Cook


    About Andrea

    Privacy Policy

    Work with us

    Terms

    Press

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 The Petite Cook. The Petite Cook® is a registered trademark.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.